spotlightverne (Magazine article)

Q Biggest influence?

A Travel and culture, because seeing the
world through the eyes of another
forces you to hone in on your
communication skills both as a sender
and as a receiver of information.

Q Most valuable lesson learnt?

A Being right isn’t enough. If everyone
isn’t on board with your vision, being
right loses.

Q One company to watch (other than your
own)?

A Uber. I think they are going change
the way we think about transportation…
including the need to own your own car.

Q Staycation or exotic location?

A Exotic location. I’m hoping for
indigenous tribes in Papau New
Guinea; you can’t be a diver and a
photographer and really want a
staycation can you?

Q If you weren’t an IT exec, what would
you like to be?

A Photo journalist

Q Dog or cat?

A Dog… especially a shizu-poodle. Mine
lives like a king on lamb patties, pet spa
resort visits, and massage.

Q In charge for the day, what world
problem would you address?

A Child slavery and abuse. It’s appalling
we have so few international laws to
protect children.

Q Your three desert island music choices?

A Pink Panther Theme, Three Little Birds
(Bob Marley), Happy (Pharrell Williams)

Q Guess who’s coming to dinner – your
five guests, (real or fictional characters)?

A My grandmother Mae
Oprah
Elon Musk
Warren Buffet
Aung San Suu Kyi

Q Your hero or heroine from history?

A Louisa May Alcott

Q You’re hero or heroine alive and well?

A Dalai Lama

Q What’s the point of IT?
A It’s the modern day research and
development factory. I explain it to kids
as the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory
for all things digital.

Q When it comes to energy resources (for
data centres/IT) is the glass half-empty
or half-full?

A Sometime I wonder if there is even a
glass on the table at all! People talk a
lot about energy resources for IT
but most of the time its fodder and
fancy footwork. Energy efficiency and
the PUE gave hope that it would
become an important business issue
but most executives have moved on
to data security and privacy.
Unfortunately, as long as the lights
come on and the computers hum there
appears to be no superficial concern.

Q Pet hates?
A Cats. Yuck.

Q Where does the time machine take you
and why?

A To meet the writers of The Jetsons
because I think their vision for driverless
cars was brilliant, and I want to see
what they think about where we are
headed on that topic.

Q Bring Your Own Device or Bring Your
Own Disaster (waiting to happen at
some point in the future)?
A Bring your own device; the only one
in charge of your success and or failure
is yourself.